Samsung, SK Hynix plan $518 billion chipmaking expansion - The American Bazaar

South Korean tech giants Samsung and SK Hynix have announced a chipmaking expansion plan valued at over $518 billion, aimed at reinforcing South Korea's position in the global semiconductor industry. ... Read original →

Samsung and SK Hynix’s $518B expansion is a defensive surge against AI-driven HBM shortages. Technically, it will force equipment vendors like ASML to accelerate TSV and hybrid bonding capabilities, pulling advanced packaging deeper into mainstream memory fabs. Geopolitically, overreliance on U.S. tools exposes Korean supply chains to export controls, inflating compliance costs. Micron will likely fast-track HBM4, while Taiwan, China’s TSMC could leverage CoWoS dominance to lock in NVIDIA, squeezing Samsung Foundry. Over the next 12–24 months, HBM capacity glut may trigger price erosion—but only players mastering TSV yield and silicon interposer integration will profit. SK Hynix holds the edge; Samsung must prove its tech catch-up isn’t just on paper.